Article: Never Count Out Tyrone Taylor

[recte44]

If a cat has nine lives, then how many does Tyrone Taylor have? It feels like he's been "on his way out" of the organization for as long as I can remember. Somehow, he always seems to turn it around.

Can he keep it up as the pennant race continues? Don't count him out.

Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Since he was a second round pick in 2012 (yes, over a decade ago), Taylor has been the rare player to have both been overrated and underrated. What do I mean by that? As a second round pick, prospect lists loved him in his first few years in the system (thus the overrating). After he got older, he was overlooked (thus the underrating). 

It's easy to forget that Taylor was, for all intents and purposes, nearly out of the Brewers' plans in 2019. At the age of 25, he'd just completed the minor league season without receiving a call to the September roster (roster expansion was then up to 40 players). He had just completed an interview with FedEx for an offseason job. Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, the Brewers were fighting for a roster spot. Their outfield depth was being tested. With Trent Grisham already having been brought up unexpectedly, Milwaukee now had Ryan Braun and Lorenzo Cain going through injuries of their own, so they made the call to Taylor. He'd go 4 for 10 in 15 games, mostly serving as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner. The Brewers didn't last long in the playoffs that year (remember Grisham's fielding mishap against Washington?) but Taylor made an impression. 

In 2020, he played sparingly at times for the Brewers, and again it looked like he would be a roster casualty. However, he made the team in 2021 and hit 12 homers in 93 games. 2022 was a real breakthrough, as he played semi-regularly (120 G, 373 AB, 21 doubles, 3 triples, 17 homers, 51 RBI, .233/.286/.442). 

This spring, Taylor's status had been in question since he received a PRP injection in February in an effort to avoid Tommy John surgery. He came back in May, and didn't hit at all (.160 in 75 first-half at-bats). He got sent back to the minors on rehab, and came back up at the end of June. Through July, he was just 3 for 21 and once again it seemed that the chapter of Taylor might be over. Once again, Taylor is proving everyone wrong.

Taylor has heated up in August, as have the Brewers. For a team that desperately needed both someone to step up in their outfield as well as their lineup against lefties, the man has stepped up. Through games of August 30th, Taylor has played 22 games, 59 at-bats, 13 runs, 16 hits, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 3 homers, 11 RBI, .271/.339/.542. It's been quite possibly the best stretch of his career to date.

This is the Tyrone Taylor the Milwaukee Brewers need. Can he keep it up as the pennant race continues? Don't count him out.

 

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[yourout]

I'm not going to count him out but I'm also not counting on him being more than replacement level.

[Jim French Stepstool]

He's contributed, he's versatile, he ain't a bad guy to have on your team. But soon, maybe as early as next season, he'll be involved in a roster crunch unless a young OFer or 2 gets dealt. His ability to play all three OF spots at or above avg should keep his head above water AFA his career is concerned.

[Robocaller]

Bad timing of this "article." He's been 0-14 over his last 5 games.

But he did provide a spark for a while.

He's an interesting case. A guy whose prospect star dimmed, then made it to the majors where he's performed like an average starter. Proof that there are exceptions to players whose prospect status dimmed, who usually never make it back (unless an injury was the cause of their status dropping).

 

 

[sveumrules]

Tyrone’s best asset thus far has been his glove. Among 93 OF with at least 1,500 innings in the 2020s he comes in at +16 DRS (20th), +11.9 UZR (15th) and +13 OAA (20th).

Assuming none of Frelick, Wiemer or Mitchell are moved in a bigger deal my best guess would be Taylor is traded with Perkins as the 5th OF.

[recte44]

He's been even better since this article was written than I thought he was before. 

[recte44]

On 9/1/2023 at 5:03 PM, Robocaller said:

Bad timing of this "article." He's been 0-14 over his last 5 games.

But he did provide a spark for a while.

He's an interesting case. A guy whose prospect star dimmed, then made it to the majors where he's performed like an average starter. Proof that there are exceptions to players whose prospect status dimmed, who usually never make it back (unless an injury was the cause of their status dropping).

 

 

Not sure it was bad timing, after all. :)